


holy palmers’ lips are bad at talking

by doofusface



Category: Mr. Iglesias (TV)
Genre: F R I E N D S H I P, F/M, Falling In Love, Feels, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Gen, Group chat, Humor, Intervention, Miscommunication, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn, Summer, Texting, roasting as a love language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:46:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25131100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doofusface/pseuds/doofusface
Summary: They don't talk about it.Or, at least, she doesn't, because his reaction was not exactly what she thought it would be, so maybe don't judge her for just shutting up and taking it for the rest of the play.
Relationships: Lorenzo Webber/Rita Perez (background), Marisol Fuentes & Mikey Gutierrez, Marisol Fuentes/Mikey Gutierrez, Rita Perez & Grace Li & Walt Dobbs & Lorenzo Webber, Walt Dobbs & Grace Li & Lorenzo Webber, Walt Dobbs & Marisol Fuentes & Mikey Gutierrez & Grace Li & Lorenzo Webber
Comments: 12
Kudos: 85





	holy palmers’ lips are bad at talking

**Author's Note:**

> ooooo wat dis
> 
> s/o to my new beta who im boutta drag into this fandom haaaa

Marisol should be happy.

The spotlight's on them and there's just something about the atmosphere—the pixelated printout moon that ate most of the library’s ink, the balcony set Mikey thankfully did _not_ fall off from, the dead silence of the audience as all eyes are on them.

She should be happy, but when Mikey starts saying his lines, hand on hers, she realizes she's not.

And when he goes for the cheek like they'd agreed to, she finally accepts _why_.

He pulls away and looks at her expecting nothing, but if it were any time to channel Juliet’s famed rebellious side, it would be now, so:

She grabs his face, pulls him in, and kisses him so hard she still feels the whiplash of him pulling away.

Mikey stares at her.

Marisol stares right back.

And he fumbles. 

"...Line?"

* * *

They don't talk about it.

Or, at least, _she_ doesn't, because his reaction was not exactly what she thought it would be, so maybe don't judge her for just shutting up and taking it for the rest of the play.

And as with their entire relationship thus far, if she doesn’t say something, he’s basically zipped.

* * *

Mikey keeps deleting the same text off his phone every day at the same time—8 PM, right after she texts the group that she’s _still alive_ and reminds them _there are summer assignments_ to do.

It’s on a separate chat that’s barely been used since rehearsals and finals—their own chat, for just the two of them. 

It says: _did you mean it?_

He never copies it. He types it every single time, letter by letter, until the black line at the end blinks enough times to remind him he doesn’t want to know the answer if the answer is no.

And then he deletes it.

Every single time.

Letter by letter.

Until someone else replies in the group chat with a meme and everyone starts flooding it for their nightly craziness.

He “forgets” about the text in their private chat and sends a meme back instead.

* * *

Every night at 8 PM, she will stare at the little dots from Mikey’s end of their private chat and watch it disappear.

She’s starting to think her phone’s on its last legs, but she can’t really afford a new phone when she’s saving up for a car for college, and she doesn’t really want to ask him about it, so she basically lets herself...continue.

Watching it.

Letting it disappear.

Going back to the group chat.

Pretending she’s having a great summer even if she can’t hold his hand or kiss his face or at least talk to him like she used to. And especially like they used to recently—the forgotten inside jokes on their chat from spring practices and meetups—scheduled and impromptu—to rehearse lines together hit the worst whenever she sees the copy of Romeo & Juliet and their photo from that night in her mom’s room.

...It’s fine.

She’s fine.

* * *

“ _Soooo_...” Grace starts, leaning away just in case Marisol decides today is the day she snaps. “About Mikey...”

(Thankfully, it is not today.) 

Marisol turns to her, quirking a brow. “What about Mikey?”

“Oh, got it,” Grace says, pointing a finger between herself and her friend. “We’re doing that thing where we pretend you’re not staring at him.” _Nod, nod_. “Comprendo, compadre.”

 _Squint._ “You know you just called me your godfather?”

“The way you glare at us sometimes doesn’t make me want to correct that.”

“ _Wow_.”

“So...hypothetically...why would my godfather be staring at one of my best friends like a puppy whose owner just came home from war?”

“I don’t do that,” Marisol deadpans.

Grace raises a brow, eyes level and no-nonsense. “Really?”

“I don’t—why would I do that? That’s, like, Mikey’s thing.” _Huff_. “...But. Hypothetically. He’s had a leaf stuck in his hair since we got here. So that’s annoying your godfather.”

“Pardon my French, but what the buttered chocolat au croissant is _wrong with you_.”

Marisol stares at her. “...That was...a statement.”

“You better believe it was, sister,” Grace says, hands raised like a football referee. 

“Don’t you mean ‘butter’—”

“Do not try to distract me, missy.”

“Hey, food’s ready!” Lorenzo calls from by the grill as his mom loads food onto his plate. 

Walt hollers: “LEZZEAT!”

“Sorry, Grace,” Marisol says, hopping off her seat nonchalantly. She shrugs. “Sometimes things stay half-baked.”

* * *

 **the G  
** how dare u use a baking joke

 **mar-e  
** i didnt start it

 **the G  
** pass ketchup

 **mar-e  
** give up the thing and maybe

 **the G  
** what thing  
theres no thing

 **mar-e  
** 1) love u  
2) screw u

 **the G  
** fine dont pass the ketchup ill just ask MIKEY n show him ur TEXTS from LAST NIGHT  
thanks was that so hard

 **mar-e  
** 1) screw u  
2) screw u

* * *

There’s a wait.

It’s 8:15 on Wednesday night and Mikey’s wallowing because there’s a wait—Marisol isn’t home yet, or if she is, she hasn’t texted them yet, which is weird and feels off.

Something in him overrides his usual Coward Protocol and sends a quick _u ok??_ text her way, and it only makes things worse because now it’s 8:25 and still nothing.

He calls Walt.

It rings once.

“Hey, man, can yo—”

“ _Passed by Lorenzo’s already, you’re next. Did she say anything?_ ”

Oh, good. Sometimes it’s really nice to only have one brain cell to share in their group. 

Mikey shakes his head, even if they can’t see him. “No.”

 _Curse_. “ _I’m sure she’s fine,_ ” Walt says, in the voice he uses when he’s trying to lie.

“ _What if she got kidnapped by aliens, man?!_ ” Lorenzo says from a little farther away.

“ _Bro, deep breaths, and hold my hand._ ”

Mikey furrows his brows. “Aren’t you driving?”

“ _It’s either one-handed or Lorenzo spirals, dude._ ”

Fair enough. “Does Grace know?”

“ _Yeah, but text her anyway. Be there soon._ ”

“Aight.”

“ _¡Adios!_ ”

_Click._

* * *

“Thanks,” Marisol says awkwardly, when they’re parked in front of her house and standing around like a set of bodyguards. 

(They’d found her at her workplace—big Gap this summer—dealing with a long line, some misplaced inventory, and the most annoying customers Long Beach could offer.

Mikey’d been the one she’d seen first, and he’s still feeling the effects of seeing her immediately break out into a relieved smile when they’d locked eyes.)

“Lorenzo thought you were kidnapped,” Grace says, as if that explains things.

Marisol snorts. “You didn’t have to pick me up.”

“ _Kid_. _Napped_ ,” Lorenzo repeats, intensifying. 

“We had to,” Mikey adds on, trying to shrug nonchalantly. “We gotchu.”

For a moment, there’s an echo of a conversation from the spring.

For a moment, there’s no wall of friends around them.

No Walt making a face and turning around.

No Lorenzo nodding expectantly.

No Grace confused as heck.

Just Marisol.

And just him.

For a moment, it’s just them again, in an empty theatre, promising to meet and practice and learn.

And she says: “I know.”

* * *

Grace asks them on the way home if it felt like Marisol was talking about something else, but Mikey doesn’t say anything, and all conspiracies lead to nowhere.

* * *

Mikey blinks.

Once.

Twice.

He checks the name, checks the chat.

Checks the time—a little past 10—and checks the name again.

**mar-e  
** did lorenzo really think I was kidnapped?  
(It was probably meant for Grace, but it’s, like, impolite not to text back, right?)

 **mikecutio  
** oh yeah  
made walt drive serpentine

 **mar-e  
** lol  
classic

 **mikecutio  
** um  
did you mean to text grace?

 **mar-e  
** oh  
no, i didn't, actually  
sorry

 **mikecutio**   
no it’s  
you can talk to me  
i like it when you talk to me

 **mar-e  
** oh

 **mikecutio  
** i mean

 **mar-e  
** okay

 **mikecutio  
** uh 

**mar-e  
** so

 **mikecutio  
** so

 **mar-e  
** the weather

 **mikecutio  
** yes   
weather

 **mar-e  
** wild

 **mikecutio  
** super

 **mar-e  
** so  
good talk

 **mercutio  
** great talk

 **mar-e  
** yes  
night, mikey

 **mikecutio  
** goodnight marisol

* * *

(He can’t sleep and all he wonders is if she can’t either.)

* * *

It’s a curse within a curse when their friends get stuck in a traffic jam on the way to the movie theater and they, of course, are already inside, seated serendipitously next to each other.

Marisol really hates the fact that they’re here for a rom-com, because _wow_ , life is a _bully._

There’s a part that makes Mikey laugh too loud, and she can’t help it—she watches him. The crinkle of the skin around his eyes. The way he’s shaking from holding in the remainder of his laugh. The little peek of his teeth when he smiles. The way the light from the screen reflects off his face.

She laughs a little herself, unconsciously leaning onto their shared armrest.

He really loves rom-coms.

She really loves him.

* * *

Lorenzo’s the one who notices the shift.

Which, not that hard to do, considering it’s because of an article of clothing.

“Isn’t that yours?” Lorenzo whispers to Mikey as they wait in line for food. He’s lowkey tilting his head towards Marisol—already eating at their claimed table with Walt and Grace—and the red-and-grey hoodie she’s wearing. “And don’t lie, you def wore that in school enough times for me to remember.”

Mikey shrugs. “Yeah. She got cold at the theater.”

“She got col— _are you serious_.”

“Yes?”

“Dude.”

“What?”

Lorenzo would rather eat sand than explain himself, but: “She still has it.”

“Yeah,” Mikey says, perplexed. “So?”

“Did you ask for it back?”

“What? No. I got other jackets, man.”

Lorenzo gapes at him. “So does Marisol.”

“Look,” Mikey sighs, shaking his head. “I don’t see the big deal. She was cold, I gave her my hoodie. She obviously didn’t _lose_ it. I’ll get it back when I get it back.” He looks up. “Are you getting the 1 combo or #4?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Lorenzo mumbles, “all you’re givin’ me is #2.”

* * *

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** ma’am 

**mar-e  
**?

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** i see ur threads  
or should i say

 **mar-e  
** no

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** MIKEYS THREADS

 **mar-e  
** and you did it anyway

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** What Happened At The Movies Last Week

 **mar-e  
** well,  
for one,  
you guys didn’t bother catching up,

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** that aint it

 **mar-e  
** nothing happened

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** and how does that make u feel

 **mar-e  
** can u stop texting me please  
it’s rude  
we’re out with friends

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** we dont have good manners remember

 **mar-e  
** lorenzo  
shut up

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** no  
OW????  
MAAM?????

* * *

 **the G  
** r u txting lorenzo

 **mar-e  
** i was  
not anymore

 **the G  
** well ye i mean he is thoroughly injured now

 **mar-e  
** hes fine i didnt hit him that hard

* * *

 **mikecutio  
** what happened to lorenzo?

 **mar-e  
** not important  
do u need the hoodie back btw?

 **mikecutio  
** no  
y?

 **mar-e  
** cool  
no particular reason

* * *

 **mar-e  
** _[mar-e has attached a photo.]_

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** oiajeogae

* * *

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** _[FLUIDOZnerol has attached a photo.]  
_ da hell is this  
she ASKED YOU

 **mikecutio  
** i dont need it  
it’s fine dude

* * *

 **_honors can SUCK IT  
_** _5 members_

 **w4lte2d0bbz  
** why is evry1 txting

 **mar-e  
** we’re not

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** ill tell u later

 **mikecutio  
** shut up

 **mar-e  
** shut up

 **w4lte2d0bbz  
** nvm  
i get it

* * *

 **_can you feel the love 2niteeeee  
_** _3 members_

 **the G  
** so like  
who do we do an intervention for first

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** mikey

 **w4lte2d0bbz  
** marisol ofc  
wth

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** wth

 **the G  
** SEE EVEN U GUYS ARE OUT OF SYNC NOW

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** yo i DONT LIKE THIS

* * *

 **mar-e  
** are they ignoring us

 **mikecutio  
** ya  
hey do u want to get ice cream??

 **mar-e  
** hell yeah lets ditch

* * *

“Hey,” Walt frowns, looking up from his phone. He scans the food court, doubling back every now and again to make sure he didn’t miss—“Mikey and Marisol are gone.”

“We really need to talk to them,” Lorenzo says, shaking his head. “Or get Mr. Iglesias to talk to them.”

“Ooh, yeah...he’s not game,” Grace says, frowning. “I already asked.”

“Since when?”

“Since we got a new guidance counselor.” _Squint._ “And I think they like each other? Mr. Iglesias and her, I mean.”

“But we don’t get to meet our counselor until school starts!” Walt says.

“ _It’s up to us_ ,” Lorenzo says somberly. He bows his head. “...We are so screwed.”

* * *

“Man, I miss this,” Mikey grins unabashedly, leaning back on the wall and enjoying the music from the store nearby.

Marisol quirks a brow, frowning in confusion. “Cheap ice cream from a mall we go to all the time?”

He shakes his head. “Hanging out with you,” he says, and _oh._

Something hits in her gut again—something familiar, something she thought she could deal with now that they’re talking again, now that they’re not super awkward anymore.

She’s probably only been as wrong about this as she had been about Mikey fully planning on taking advantage of his Romeo role.

Marisol finds herself smiling, though—that one smile she’s always saved for him, without even realizing it. The one she’d used more and more as the years went on, and Mikey’s place in her life solidifying itself right along with them.

It’s the one that makes her think there’s a better world out there—where she didn’t lie about the kiss.

Where she could be kissing him right now.

Where she’s not a big-ass wuss.

“Me too,” she says, bumping his arm with her own. “Good to be back.”

Mikey’s mouth opens for a second, but she’s too busy watching people stream into the store across them to notice his hesitation.

He doesn’t get to say the obvious—that she’s really beautiful, even if she does decimate two scoops of ice cream like no one else he knows. That she has yet to make him stop breathing by just smiling at him.

That he’s having trouble staying this close and this far at the same time, after knowing what it’s like to be on the other side.

That he still doesn’t know if she meant it.

Or if she wants to try again.

There’s a love song playing over the speakers, but he doesn’t say anything.

Just watches her with that age-old smile of a boy in love with a girl.

* * *

 **the G  
** how was ur lil date

 **mikecutio  
** not a date

 **the G  
** uhuh

* * *

 **w4lte2d0bbz  
** how was ur date

 **mar-e  
** was not a date

 **w4lte2d0bbz  
** bet u wish it was tho

* * *

 **the G  
** it’s ok mikey u can tell me  
my lips are sealed

 **mikecutio  
** since when???

 **the G  
** since right now

 **mikecutio  
** it wasnt a date ok we jus wanted dessert n u guys were takin forever

* * *

 **mar-e  
** what constitutes a date anyway  
isolation?  
cuz then u went on a date with grace and lorenzo

 **w4lte2d0bbz  
** pff  
they Wish that happened

 **mar-e  
** they really dont tho  
head out of ass, walter

 **w4lte2d0bbz  
** thats not how i rolllll  
marisollll

 **mar-e  
** you  
need to rethink that sentence

* * *

Rita’s the one who picks for them.

“Marisol first,” she says, chewing her gum loudly.

“Are you sure?” Lorenzo asks.

 _Shrug._ “She kissed him, it’s her problem.”

“It’s more like our problem now.”

“Duh, Stupid,” Rita says, a little annoyed. “But she got all the ball in her court, you know?” 

“That’s what I said!” Walt whines, looking for support. “They don’t get us, Rita.”

“Bro, I gotchu,” Rita says, giving him a fist bump.

Lorenzo’s jaw is slack and dropped. The _audacity_.

Grace just shrugs. “Well, that settles that.”

* * *

It gets pretty bad.

Mikey’s texting Marisol as much as before, but it’s like, ten times worse now.

Because she still has...

The _F_ Word.

(Feelings.)

(Ew.)

And, to be perfectly fair, it’s not much better on his end—she’s responsive, engaging, and trying her best not to fall asleep at a reasonable hour because his timeline for awakeness over summer is just...incredibly messy.

(Much like their entire situation)

But it’s not like before, where he’s just spazzing and awkward if he tries to reach out about other things.

Things that aren’t necessarily school-related flow easier. It started that way over practice, but with their timeframe, it didn’t get too far.

But now he can yell about Shakespeare’s jabs at society or his own dreams and game plans for auditions to someone who takes his excitement as is, and it’s like... _wow_.

Surreal.

Because this is what he thinks love should be like.

Enjoying things together, no judgment.

It’s like a switch got flipped on for both of them between the ice cream trips and post-8 PM texts, and they’d just...

Found themselves where they needed to be.

* * *

There are three dots on her screen again and they’ve been talking almost non-stop for a month now, so she’s sure it’s something wrong with her phone.

Never mind that it only happens at the same hour every day, because maybe she just doesn’t see it happen otherwise, right? Because there’s no way Mikey’s kept a conversation from happening when he knows she won’t mess with him if it’s something he cares about.

The dots blink away, and their group chat dings on cue.

**_honors can SUCK IT  
_** _5 members_

 **the G  
** guys  
we have school next week

 **w4lte2d0bbz  
** gross

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** dislike

 **mikecutio  
** do u guys think the drama dept is gna stay up  
?

 **the G  
** if all else fails u can monologue

 **mar-e  
** lmao  
ye mikey i think youre safe

 **w4lte2d0bbz  
** either that or hernandez plays every1 else

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** oh id  
pay  
to see that

 **mar-e  
** i wouldnt

 **the G  
** pass  
sorry mikey

 **mikecutio  
** :<

 **mar-e  
** we can go another round  
right guys?

 **the G  
** lorenzo cant have more than one line tho

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** ^^^^^^

 **w4lte2d0bbz  
** im down  
but only if i have more lines

 **mikecutio  
** i think we need more ppl  
hernandez was planning on twelfth night

 **the G  
** wassat

 **mar-e  
** oh???

 **w4lte2d0bbz  
** marisol

 **mar-e  
** what

 **w4lte2d0bbz  
** u kno what that one is?

 **mikecutio  
** ye

 **mar-e  
** yea  
i read

 **mikecutio  
** she reads

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** uhhhh

 _w4lte2d0bbz changed the chat name to_ **_no fear, junior year_ **

**w4lte2d0bbz  
** so do i

 **the G  
** ok but

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** uhhhhhhhhhhhh  
yolo

* * *

 **_can you feel the love 2niteeeee  
_** _3 members  
mar-e has been added to the group.  
4 members _

**mar-e  
** what  
is  
this

 _FLUIDOZnerol changed the chat name to_ **_exactly what u think it is  
_** _mar-e has left the group.  
_ _3 members  
_ _mar-e has been added to the group.  
4 members _

**mar-e  
** screw u guys

_mar-e has left the group.  
3 members  
mar-e has been added to the group.  
4 members  
_

**mar-e  
** GRACE

 **the G  
** IT’S NOT ME

 **w4lte2d0bbz  
** guiltea

 **mar-e  
** explain yourselves

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** can u say that

 **mar-e  
**?????

 **the G  
** ye like  
whats going on w u n mikey

 **mar-e  
** what  
well  
we’re talking again  
so there’s that

 **w4lte2d0bbz  
** ok  
and

 **mar-e  
** and nothing

_the G has started a video call._

“Okay, this is unnecessary,” Marisol says, frowning at her friends. They’re lucky she’s chilling at home and not exactly busy. “Nothing’s happening.”

Lorenzo frowns right back. “ _Yeah, and that’s stupid. Get it together, man!_ ”

“I don’t know what you guys want me to say.”

“ _The truth,_ ” Walt says, oddly serious. It sounds close to when he talks about his dad, and Marisol softens.

“I don’t know,” she sighs, giving in. “I don’t know! Ugh. It’s confusing.”

Grace furrows her brows. “ _Do you still like him?_ ”

“I—” _Sigh_. She knows the truth. “...Yeah. Yeah, I do. But—”

“ _Listen, you should tell him before he gets suspended,_ ” Lorenzo says.

“ _...What?_ ” the others say in unison.

Lorenzo purses his lips.

A beat.

“...Pretty sure Mikey’s safe from getting in trouble for bullying,” Marisol squints.

“ _Ohhh,_ ” Grace says.

“ _What?_ ” Walt says again, more confused.

“ _Never mind,_ ” Lorenzo says, shaking his head. He points at the camera. “ _Marisol. You gotta tell him._ ”

“I don’t know if you _noticed_ , but he didn’t really have much of a _reaction_ after the kiss,” Marisol snaps, exhaling. Her free hand finds its way to her necklace and flips the pendant around to a slow, silent beat by habit. “Maybe he changed his mind.”

“ _He forgot his line!_ ” Walt screeches, his phone shaking. “ _Dude!_ ”

“Then explain why he hasn’t done anything,” she says, exasperated. “Maybe with all the time we spend together, he’s changed his mind.” She looks down, frowning at her necklace. “Sometimes things don’t work out when you let people in. Sometimes they just realize you’re not what they wanted, and leave.”

Grace bites the inside of her cheek. “ _Mari?_ ”

Marisol looks up, quirks a brow.

 _“Do you..._ ” her friend says slowly, suddenly focused on something on screen. “ _Do you remember in 6th grade, when you had your birthday party?_ ”

“You mean the one where you mimed bloody murder at my tío?”

“ _This is not about me._ ”

Marisol shrugs, but there’s more weight than usual. “Yeah. I remember.” A pause and a pull on her jaw. “My dad left like a week before.”

Lorenzo catches on. “ _We all thought he was gonna come back for your birthday._ ”

“And he didn’t,” Marisol says.

Grace nods. “ _And Mikey was super late._ ”

“He looked like he got rained on,” Marisol says, scrunching up her nose.

“ _And he kept trying to cheer you up,_ ” Lorenzo says, voice kindly. “ _Even though you were being a real ass ‘cause you were upset._ ”

“Dude, I was ten, and my dad just abandoned us,” Marisol deadpans. Another sigh. Another shake of her head. “...What does this have to do with anything?”

Grace points. “ _Your necklace. Your mom gave it to you that day._ ”

“She said it was her promise that somebody loved me,” Marisol laughs softly, remembering. 

“ _Mari. Mikey asked her to give it to you._ ” Grace smiles sadly. “ _And to not to tell you it was from him._ ”

_He..._

_...What._

“What?”

“ _Ohh,_ ” Lorenzo says, eyes widening. He nods quickly. “ _Yeah, that’s true._ ”

Walt shrugs. “ _Yup._ ”

Marisol’s jaw drops. “You didn’t _tell m—_ ”

“ _He thought you might hate it,_ ” Grace cuts in. “ _‘Cause you were so ticked off that day._ ”

“ _We know how you can get,_ ” Walt says, laughing a bit. “ _You really think_ Mikey _cares?_ ”

Lorenzo snorts. “ _Yeah. I don’t think you have to worry about a guy who’s liked you since third grade,_ and _is one of your best friends. Just sayin’._ ” He laughs harder. “ _Besides, the dude skated to the bus terminal and back to check for your pops._ ”

“...We need to talk about how you guys drop bombs on people with like zero tact,” Marisol says, but her head’s reeling.

“ _Learned from the best,_ ” Walt snickers.

“I need...to process,” Marisol says slowly, falling back on her bed. “That was a _lot_.”

“ _Just..._ ” Grace starts, clicking her tongue. “ _I don’t know what’s up with you guys, but maybe for once try and actually talk to each other about it?_ ”

Marisol squints. “I’m sure you see the irony—”

“ _Yeah._ ”

“ _You_ do not _want to wait until you’re in Ms. Madison’s office and in front of five faculty members because Mr. Iglesias butt-in when he shouldn’t have before you make a move,_ trust _me,_ ” Lorenzo says, shaking his head.

“Again,” Marisol says, scrunching up her face, “ _really_ doubt Mikey’s gonna have the same problems as Rita.”

* * *

Mikey stares at his phone, confused at the sudden drop in activity.

Ah, well.

He shrugs, puts it back down on his computer table.

 _Scroll_ , _scroll_ , until he finds the perfect one, grinning like he’s won the lottery. Into the cart and off to purchase, and he can breathe.

School starts in a little over a week, but he can’t do this anymore. There’s something in his gut that’s saying it’s _worth it, take the shot, hope it’s nothing but net_. Something that feels just as right as being on stage, if not moreso—like _this_ is what he’s _good_ at, and what he could see himself doing for the rest of his life.

_Loving._

Loving and not being afraid to do it.

* * *

 **mar-e  
** are u free this weekend?

 **mikecutio  
** oh lol good timing  
yeah  
i was abt to ask u, actually

 **mar-e  
** oh

 **mikecutio  
** u can um  
u can say no  
can we not invite everyone else?

 **mar-e  
** oh  
yea  
yes  
i was going to  
say that

 **mikecutio  
** i wanted to talk to u abt somethin is why

 **mar-e  
** i just want to talk to you about something?  
ah

 **mikecutio  
** oh

 **mar-e  
** okay so  
saturday?

 **mikecutio  
** ye  
do you wanna meet at the pier?

 **mar-e  
** yeah sure  
like 1ish?

 **mikecutio  
** sure

 **mar-e  
** ok  
well  
good talk

* * *

 **_no fear, junior year  
_** _5 members_

 **the G  
** parents said u guys can come over sat for one last bbq before schoooool

 **mikecutio  
** time?

 **the G  
** they were thinking lunchish til 6

 **mikecutio  
** ill be late

 **mar-e  
** same  
have a thing

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** ill be there 1-2

 **w4lte2d0bbz  
** can i bring my vape pen

 **the G  
** no

 **w4lte2d0bbz  
** i will also be late

 **the G  
** 3-8 it is

* * *

“Hey,” that voice Marisol loves to hear says, coming up from behind her.

Mikey grins immediately when she turns around.

“Hey,” she says back, the off-switch on her smile not working. She nods at the plastic package in his hands. “Whassat?”

“Got it for you,” Mikey says, handing it over.

“Did I miss an end-of-summer Secret Santa notif?” Marisol laughs, opening it. “Probably got buried under all the marijuana jok— _whoa_.” 

Her jaw drops, and Mikey’s grin gets impossibly bigger.

“Do you like it?” he asks, chewing his bottom lip.

There’s a feeling she can’t place, but she knows it’s between amusing and adoring. “A Stanford hoodie?”

“I just figured,” Mikey shrugs, “since you’re definitely gonna get in, right?”

“We have two more years of high school,” Marisol laughs, eyes catching his. “What are you...what’s going on, Mikey?”

“I just,” he says, shaking his head like at their dress rehearsal. “Listen, I know it’s been really weird? The last couple months.” 

_Oh_. “...Right.”

 _Inhale._ “...Okay,” Mikey says, “I know you said it was just for the play—”

“I lied.”

A beat.

Marisol gulps. “I lied,” she repeats, half frowning. “That’s what I wanted to talk about.”

Mikey blinks.

It comes out with a laugh so soft it’s pretty much a sigh. “I _like_ you, Mikey.” She shrugs, ‘cause whatever, y’know? What’s gonna stop her? “I like you a lot, like a _stupid_ amount—maybe more than just that—and, like, I want to kiss you, and I’m sick of our friends being _right_ about how much it bothers me that you and I aren’t a thing.” Pause. “And I love this hoodie. And I have _no idea_ how you got it.”

(Great, now _she’s_ the one who word vomits.)

“I sold my fidget spinners.”

“...Did it hurt?”

“Not really,” Mikey says, eyes on hers. He’s smiling. “I don’t need ‘em.”

“Uh-huh?” Marisol says, the ends of her lips twitching upwards.

“I need you, though,” Mikey says, on autopilot, and _yeah_ , she’s dead. 

Deceased.

He winces. “...That sounded _bad_.”

She shakes her head. “I know you. It was sweet.”

“I like you a lot,” Mikey says with a sigh, gaining courage. “I mean, I’ve liked you since forever. I’m also kinda in love with you? Or not ‘ _kinda._ ’ Just am.” 

“Good, ‘cause this would’ve been really awkward if not,” Marisol laughs, dissipating her nerves.

“I, _um_ ,” Mikey starts, sucking in his lips. He nods at the hoodie. “I don’t know if I’ll get into Long Beach State. But I know you’ll get into Stanford. And I wanted you to have something to remember me by.”

“You’ll get into Long Beach.”

 _Frown._ “How do you know?”

 _Wink._ “Your girlfriend’s gonna tutor you.”

* * *

 **_no fear, junior year  
_** _5 members  
_ ****

**w4lte2d0bbz  
** _[w4lte2d0bbz has attached a photo.]  
_ HEY  
HEY EXPLAIN THIS  
WHAT THE HELL

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** GET IT GIRL  
(AND BOI)

 **the G  
** oh so this is why huh  
“a thing”

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** GEDDIIIITTTTTTTTT

 **mar-e  
** walt for once  
can u not vape at the pier  
ty @ lorenzo

 **mikecutio  
** <3 lorenzo

 **FLUIDOZne** **rol  
** DOES THIS MEAN WE DONT HAVE TO DEAL W UR AWKWARD

 **the G  
** no this means we have to deal w their gross

 **w4lte2d0bbz  
** _[w4lte2d0bbz has attached a photo.]  
_ it’s so hot out  
why are u wearing this

 **mar-e  
** he gave it to me!!

 **mikecutio  
** also lorenzo im never getting that hoodie back

 **mar-e  
** ^

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** LISTEN  
AS LONG AS YOU GUYS ARENT BEING STUPID ANYMORE  
IM OK W IT

 **the G  
** the rents r buying ice cream

 **w4lte2d0bbz  
** we gon get TURNT

 **the G  
** to celebrate

 **mikecutio  
** y o o o o

 **the G  
** oh it’s not for u 2  
it’s for us  
cuz now we’re free

 **mar-e  
** literally why do i hang out with you people

 **mikecutio  
** u love us

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** bc u love us

**the G**

we make life exciting

 **w4lte2d0bbz  
** cuz u love us

 **the G  
** i mean  
u love us

 **mar-e  
** fair  
see u guys at 3

 **mikecutio  
** _[mikecutio has attached a photo.]  
_ beso whomst

 **the G  
** DAS CUTE

 **FLUIDOZnerol  
** :’)

 **w4lte2d0bbz  
** kiss on the lips or it doesnt count

 **mar-e  
** _[mar-e has attached a photo.]_

 **w4lte2d0bbz  
** nvm  
gross

* * *

(Somehow, the glitch on Marisol’s phone stops being a problem that same day.)

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos appreciated!!
> 
> [i made a ppt for mr iglesias, and it is incredibly stupid](https://twitter.com/doofwrites/status/1279564515131219968?s=20)
> 
> stay hydrated stay safe stay home
> 
> God bless fam <3


End file.
